Segmented Jewelry Utilizing High Strength Magnetic Forces

ABSTRACT

An item of jewelry includes a plurality of segments, each segment including an inner surface, an outer surface, and first and second opposing end surfaces. The first end surface of each segment includes a positively-aligned magnet, and the second end surface of each segment includes a negatively-aligned magnet. The plurality of segments form a continuous shape having a smooth appearance during use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present subject matter relates generally to jewelry articles that utilize magnetic components. More specifically, the present invention relates to jewelry items including segments that form a continuous shape having an overall seamless appearance while allowing for easy disassembly.

Rings are traditionally manufactured as a continuous ring of soft metal that fit over the user's knuckle. Once positioned over the knuckle, the rings remains in place snug against the base of the finger. However, the user may leave the ring on for an extended period of time, often up to years. During that time the wearer's finger may change shape, fluctuating in size with the seasons and/or growing with weight gain or pregnancy. In many cases the ring is not removable from the base of the finger or over the knuckle. In a worst-case scenario, the ring restricts blood flow into the extremity, leading to health issues. In order to remove the ring, it must be cut with a ring cutter or saw. Use of these tools often causes the ring to be irreparable.

Wearing a continuous, solid ring while participating in activities involving large forces can lead to injuries such as degloving. Degloving is most common in car accidents, when working with industrial equipment, or while playing sports. If the ring is caught and subjected to a strong force, the finger and limb of the user may be severely injured, leading to amputation or other health issues related to restricted blood flow to extremities.

The use of magnets in jewelry featuring interchangeable components is well known. In one example, the ring presented in FIGS. 14A and 14B of U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,508 are self-sizing using magnetic attraction. The ring includes a series of linkages that use sequential slots and pins to limit the expansion of the ring, and the magnetic attraction urges the linkages into the narrow-most position. The ring is expandable to fit over the wearer's knuckle, and returns to its resting position once in place at the base of the finger. This design does not allow for complete removal of the ring in the event that it cannot be moved over the knuckle.

Accordingly, there is a need for a ring comprised of easily separable components for disassembly, as described herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To meet the needs described above and others, the present disclosure provides a ring comprised of separable components for easy disassembly.

By providing a ring that incudes segments attached to one another through a high strength magnet alone, the ring provides a smooth, seamless continuous surface while at the same time providing the ability for easy and immediate disassembly if needed.

In one embodiment, an item of jewelry includes a plurality of segments, each segment including an inner surface, an outer surface, and first and second opposing end surfaces. The first end surface of each segment includes a positively-aligned magnet, and the second end surface of each segment includes a negatively-aligned magnet. The plurality of segments form a continuous shape having a smooth appearance during use.

In some embodiments, adjacent segments are secured to one another through magnetic forces between the positively and negatively-aligned magnets alone. Each magnet may be comprised of a high strength magnet having a minimum pull strength of 0.4 lb, such as a neodymium-based magnetic compound and/or an iron nitride magnetic compound.

In some embodiments, each magnet is positioned on the respective end surface adjacent to the inner surface of the segment. In other embodiments, each magnet is positioned centrally within the respective end surface.

The continuous shape may comprise a loop or a portion of a bracelet. The continuous shape is one of elliptical and oval. In some embodiments, the segments of the plurality of segments vary in shape.

In the embodiment illustrated herein, the item is a ring. The item may also be one of a bracelet, a necklace, a watch band, a chain link, a sleeve, and a head band.

An object of the invention is to provide a solution to removing rings and other jewelry that is difficult to remove.

Another object of the invention is to provide a segmented item of jewelry that has a smooth and seamless overall appearance.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the examples will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The objects and advantages of the concepts may be realized and attained by means of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ring of the present application.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taking along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded, cross-sectional view taking along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a further embodiment of the ring of the present application.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a further embodiment of a ring of the present application.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the ring of the present application.

FIG. 7 is an exploded, perspective view of the ring of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an example of a finger ring 100 of the present application. The ring 100 is formed from a plurality of separable segments 102 that are secured together using magnets 104 having a high magnetic strength of at least 0.4 lb pull strength. Each magnet 104 may be neodymium-based magnetic compound (NdFeB) (commonly referred to as “Neodymium”) and/or an iron nitride magnetic compound (Fe₁₆N₂). The segments 102 may be made of a traditional soft metal, such as gold, silver, or titanium, or a non-metal material such as silicone, plastic, precious stones, or ceramic. Although the embodiments illustrated herein are rings, the design may be utilized in a bracelet, necklace, chain-link, watch band, sleeve, head band, or other item of jewelry or accessory.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ring 100 includes first through four segments 102A-102D. Seen best in FIG. 2, each segment 102 has an arcuate shaped defined by an inner surface 106 and an outer surface 108 between first and second end surfaces 110, 112. First and second magnets 104-1, 104-2 of opposing forces are embedded at the juncture of the end surface 110, 112 and the inner surface 106 at a mid-point along the height of the segment 102. The segments 102 join together to form a continuous loop.

In some embodiments, the segments 102A-102D have identical shapes and sizes. In another embodiment 200 shown in FIG. 4, the segments 202 of the ring 200 include various sizes and lengths. The segments 302 may have any shape, such as the round pearl segments 302 of the embodiment of the ring 300 illustrated in FIG. 5. Segments 102 can be interchanged and mixed based on size, shape, color, pattern, design, texture, surface engraving, or material according to user preference. Segments 102 can also be added or removed from the ring 100 over time as needed to adjust for the wearer's change in ring size.

Referring back to FIGS. 1-3, each of the adjacent end surfaces 110, 112 of neighboring segments 102 includes magnets 104-1, 104-2 positioned to securely attach to one another. One end surface 110/112 includes a positively-aligned magnet and the other end surface 112/110 includes a negatively-aligned magnet. The use of neodymium and/or an iron nitride magnetic compound minimizes the contact surface area between adjacent segments 102 while maintaining loop integrity, allowing for a smooth and seamless appearance. While other designs integrate clasps, links, or other mechanical structures to increase the surface area between magnetic sites, therefore increasing the magnetic attraction, the ring 100 of the present application minimizes the contact area while maintaining loop integrity. The use of neodymium and/or an iron nitride magnetic compound enables the jewelry 100 to maintain its connected state using magnetic forces without relying on a large surface area or cumbersome mechanical structures as well. The use of high strength magnets also allows the ring 100 to easily break apart with sufficient force to overcome the magnetic attraction. This ability to break apart eliminates the chance of degloving and other similar injuries.

In some embodiments, the magnet 104 is embedded within the metallic segment 102 and may be coplanar with or below the surrounding external surfaces. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the magnets 104 are positioned along the inner surfaces 106 so that the overall outer surface of the ring 100 appears continuous and seamless. In other embodiments, the magnets 104 may be centered within each end surface 110, 112. The use of a high strength magnet 104 allows for the secured attachment of the segments 102 without the need for an additional mechanical structure to establish the connection. By minimizing the components of the design, the outer surface of the ring 100 has a continuous, seamless appearance. In some embodiments, mechanical means may be incorporated into the end surfaces 110, 112 while maintaining the appearance of the seamless, continuous ring 100. For example, coordinating magnets 104 may be positioned on corresponding groove and protrusion structures centered within end surfaces 102C, 102D of neighboring segments 102.

In another example embodiment of the ring 400 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ring 400 includes an inner base 414 comprised of a pliable material onto which the metallic or non-pliable segments 402 are positioned. As in the previous embodiments 100-300, the segments 402 are secured together with magnets 404. The inner base 414 is a continuous ring with an recessed surface 416 extending along the circumference of the ring 400 between first and second rims 418, 420. The segments 402 fit securely along the recessed surface 416.

The inner base 414 of ring 400 may be comprised of a silicone or other durable, pliable material. Use of a pliable material provides a more comfortable ring to the wearer. The lightweight, flexible material also breaks under extreme pressure, so should the ring 400 become entangled in extreme forces and be forcibly removed from the wearer's finger, the inner band 414 breaks and the segments 402 separate as the magnetic strength is overcome, thereby avoiding ring avulsion or other serious injury.

In other embodiments, the first and second rims 418, 420 may be only slightly raised relative to the recessed surface 416. In still further embodiments, the width of the first and second rims 418, 420 may be slight compared to the width of the segments such that the overall appearance of the ring 400 is simply the metallic or non-pliable segments 402.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. 

I claim:
 1. An item of jewelry comprising: a plurality of segments, each segment including an inner surface, an outer surface, and first and second opposing end surfaces; wherein the first end surface of each segment includes a positively-aligned magnet; wherein the second end surface of each segment includes a negatively-aligned magnet; and wherein the plurality of segments form a continuous shape having a smooth appearance during use.
 2. The item of jewelry of claim 1, wherein adjacent segments are secured to one another through magnetic forces between the positively and negatively-aligned magnets alone.
 3. The item of jewelry of claim 1, wherein each magnet comprises a high strength magnet having a minimum pull strength of 0.4 lb.
 4. The item of jewelry of claim 3, wherein each magnet comprises one of a neodymium-based magnetic compound and/or an iron nitride magnetic compound.
 5. The item of jewelry of claim 1, wherein each magnet is positioned on the respective end surface adjacent to the inner surface of the segment.
 6. The item of jewelry of claim 1, wherein each magnet is positioned centrally within the respective end surface.
 7. The item of jewelry of claim 1, wherein the continuous shape comprises a loop.
 8. The item of jewelry of claim 1, wherein the continuous shape comprises a portion of a bracelet.
 9. The item of jewelry of claim 1, wherein the segments of the plurality of segments vary in shape.
 10. The item of jewelry of claim 9, wherein the continuous shape is one of elliptical and oval.
 11. The item of jewelry of claim 1, wherein the item is a ring.
 12. The item of jewelry of claim 1, wherein the item is one of a bracelet, a necklace, a watch band, a chain link, a sleeve, and a head band.
 13. The item of jewelry of claim 1, further comprising an inner base having a recess, wherein the plurality of segments is positioned within the recess.
 14. The item of jewelry of claim 13, wherein the inner base is comprised of silicone. 